BART stands for BracAnalysis Rearrangement Test. This is an expanded panel looking for mutations in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 that are not found in Myriad's "comprehensive" Bracanalysis test. BART looks for specific mutations known as large rearrangements. Myriad charges an additional $700 for BART testing.

BC
Breast cancer

Bilateral
On both sides of the body. For instance, 'bilateral mastectomies' means the removal of both breasts.

BRCA, BRCA1, BRCA2
'Breast cancer genes' in which some mutations may be related to elevated risk of breast, ovarian, and/or other kinds of cancer. Sometimes spelled BRAC or BRACA; not always capitalized.

BSE
Breast self-examination.

BSO
Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of tubes and ovaries).

CA-125
A blood test used to detect signs of ovarian cancer or monitor response to treatment.

CBE
Clinical breast examination; a breast exam performed by a health-care professional.

IVF
In Vitro Fertilization: a fertility treatment where the woman's eggs are removed and fertilized in a test tube.

LAVH
Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

LCIS
Lobular cancer in situ, a noninvasive change in breast tissue that can be a marker for breast cancer risk.

Mammo
Mammogram.

Mast
Mastectomy.

MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging; a technique for looking for abnormalities such as cancer using magnetic fields. Breast MRI is typically recommended as a screening tool for breast cancer in high-risk women and is often used to follow up on a breast abnormality seen on mammogram.

NIH
National Institutes of Health.

Ooph
Oophorectomy, or removal of the ovaries.

OVCA
Ovarian cancer.

PGD
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is a medical procedure that allows people who carry a disease-causing hereditary mutation to have children who are free from the specific mutation that causes the disease.

Revision
A type of plastic surgery which may be done as a follow-up to an earlier operation.

Salpingectomy
Removal of the fallopian tubes.

Sentinel Node Biopsy
A procedure to determine whether breast cancer cells have spread beyond the breast tissue. The surgeon injects a blue dye or radioactive tracer (or both) into the breast, to follow the lymph system from the tumor to the sentinel node.

Staging
Procedures used to determine if and how much the cancer has spread. Cancers are staged from stage 0 (preinvasive cancer) to stage 4 (spread outside the initial tissue).

Systemic Therapy
Therapy that delivers treatments throughout the body. May be intravenous or pill form. Examples include chemotherapy, biologic therapy and hormone therapy.

TAH
Total abdominal hysterectomy.

Targeted Therapy
Medications that block the growth of cancer cells by interfering with specific molecules needed for tumor growth rather than by simply interfering with rapidly dividing cells as with traditional chemotherapy.

TRAM
Transverse rectus abdominous myocutaneous flap: a type of reconstructive surgery where fat and muscle from the abdomen are used to recreate breast tissue.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
A type of breast cancer that lacks receptors for estrogen and progesterone and does not overexpress the Her2neu protein.

TVH
Total vaginal hysterectomy.

TVU
Transvaginal ultrasound.

U/S
Ultrasound; or ultrasonographic examination.

USPSTF
United States Preventive Services Task Force. A volunteer panel of experts who develop evidence-based guidelines for different areas of preventive medicine.

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